Maria Menounos

Recently, I got to meet one of my all-time favorite entertainment journalists. Maria Menounos has always been a big inspiration to me because we are very similar. We are both first generation Greek Americans and she is also originally from the Boston area. Our parents even know each other and a close family friend of mine is also her first cousin. She recently wrote her first book, “The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life” and had a book signing at Emerson College, so of course I went to get a copy of her book and got finally meet her! She’s a doll- very beautiful and down to earth.

I wrote an article about her and her book signing for this weeks issue of the Suffolk Journal. 🙂

MARIA MENOUNOS COMES TO BOSTON

(Maria & I at her book signing on Boylson street!)

She’s an entertainment journalist, TV host, actress, philanthropist, she’s appeared in Pantene Pro-v commercials, and now she’s even added author under her belt- and Boston’s own Maria Menounos has come back to visit her roots to promote her new book to fellow Bostonians.

Maria’s book signings took place on Friday April 15th at 5:00 p.m. at the Emerson Barnes & Noble, and on Saturday April 16th she made a stop at the Brookline Booksmith and then the Cambridge Side Galleria at 6:00.

Maria’s “Every Girl’s Guide to Life” is an A-Z guide of all of her tips and tricks she’s learned from top of the line Hollywood experts throughout her years working in the TV industry to live an overall better life. From organization skills to eating healthy to romance to looking your best, Maria’s book covers essentially all facets of a girl’s life. She shares various personal experiences, photographs, and her own favorite quotes and life mottos. The cover of the book features Maria in a red evening gown standing next to signs made of fence picket that read phrases such as, “workout, host Today Show, get ready carpet ready, cook dinner, and save money.”

The way the book cover was created however; is unique and notable, “The cover of my book may be the very thing that truly encapsulates the spirit and essence of the text within it. I don’t simply mean the photo and design, though I think they do serve to impact. I mean the story behind its creation. The actions involved in creating the cover are perhaps louder than the words within it. Normally, to design and shoot a book cover of this ilk, one would have to enlist the services of an art director, production designer, set decorator, prop builder, stylist, hair dresser, makeup artist, photographer, caterer, lighting person, graphic artist and God knows how many assistants. The cost is in the tens of thousands of dollars. There was no budget for that and even if there was, spending it in any such a way would go against every principle in the book,” says Maria Menounos.

“The Every Girl’s Guide to life” has also received praise from many fellow celebs such as Kim Kardashian, “One show stopping! Maria shows us girls how to successfully juggle it all while looking fabulous. I love her lazy woman workout and yummy recipies!”

“Maria is a beautiful, hard working lady who has a will and a way to make things work for herself! She has some great tips that are easy to apply and help make your life better,” says Heidi Klum.

But what makes Maria admirable is that she is walking proof of the American Dream- coming from nothing and working her way up the ladder to success. Maria is originally from Medford, MA and born to Greek immigrant parents. In her early years, she worked along side her parents cleaning nightclubs, and worked other jobs such as being an employee of Dunkin Donuts and selling sausages from stands in the streets of Boston. Maria attended Boston’s Emerson College where she studied Broadcast Journalism and participated in Emerson Independent Video; and then went onto to become a correspondent at Channel One News until she eventually landed her big break by landing a hosting gig on E! News. She was the youngest reporter to ever host E! News at the age of 22.

Nearly 10 years since, Maria has appeared in several films as an actress and she’s worked on TV outlets like the Today Show, Access Hollywood, and has even hosted Eurovision TV song contest in Greece. And is now the author of “The Everygirl’s Guide to Life.”

While at her book signing on Boylston street, I heard Maria exclaim to family members, “My publisher called me with the best news today, the book is currently in it’s 4th printing and copies are flying off the shelves!” This indicator makes it clear that Maria has expanded her success to a new medium- from a TV personality starlet to author of a successful book.